I'm looking for an idiots guide to XMLTV before asking more questions. I've been spending a heap of time trying to self educate before I become a pain. I've used the Cranz guide. Downloaded the Mentalinc (thanks for all your efforts) and DJKXML stuff but just can't get the EPG to work. At the moment I've got to a semi reliable very expensive freeview box. The isues of loosing sound when TV turned off (comp still on) can wait for another day but I really have to get on top of the EPG before the wife completely looses patience with me :). Any help appreciated

I always used DJKXML and it always worked. I am confident it is just a matter of making your system to acces the "tvguide.xml" file. You have to make sure the file is located where the Media Center software expects it to be. What software do you use?

I cannot help with other epg, but if you still need to ask anything about DJKXML, fire at will...

I use djkxml for TV1,2,3, C4, Prime, TVNZ6, 7, Maori; I do not have SkyTV, but djkxml can include many other channels, if you select them from the setup screen.

If you use Media Portal: make sure the tvguide.xml is at the location declared in TV server (you have to activate xml plug-in, I think). Then, go to this plug-in and click "Import", then "Mapping", then "Save" (after you see the channels associated to the entries in tvguide - some will have a blue field, some will be green, or white - that's the indication it actually read the file).

'The program needs to be given a parameter to work correctly for MediaPortal.freeviewNZ-EPG-GBPVR.exe -mediaportalTVServer'

To achieve this in Vista don't add the extension in the folder (and don't create a shortcut and add it), but use it when you run the program in the command line (type 'cmd' in the start button window, click on cmd.exe, navigate to the MediaportalTVServer directory and run the program with the parameter).

Let us know how you get on and please include what is happening, e.g. can you see the 'tvguide' file in the mediaportaltvserver folder.

NB. in the 'save as type', save as 'all files' NOT 'Text Documents [*.txt]'

Now, connect to internet (unless always connected ;-)) & try the batch file. It should store the gathered information into two files inside the xmltv folder, named cache & logs. They will both be sorted into folders by dates. It will also generate a 'tvguide.xml' file. This is what Mediaportal imports to load the EPG into the MP frontend guide section.

Once this is complete, the rest is pretty much bullet-proof to set up inside MP's TVServer configuration. Can't help with any other programme. Sorry.

hi all, thanks for the responses. I'm not allowed to play with comp tonight, wife's put her foot down and got friends coming over but will get on it first thing. Seen some ideas to point me in the right direction. Thanks. ps using MP TV server

I don't really know what I did different but it's working, well almost. For some reason it's not grabbing the TV1 info. Does the Reven file list all Sky Channels successfully? Next thing to do is to move on to a blaster to switch my sky decoder over to record from Sky. Just going to post another question on getting the Sky working, any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Frustrations continue, everything was going well. I had MP working with the only exception being to get a blaster to switch over my Sky STB. My Hauppauge cards didn't come with a blaster so I ended up getting the haupagge OEM box that incuded the USB reciever, blaster and a remote. Installed and everything was all good with MP being the most functional it had been, fully functioning remote, yay! I couldn't get the balster to work, trying various different plug ins and then for no apparent reason I lost audio. The files in MP folders were starting to look a bit jumbled, as I had tried a number of different EPG grabbers and blaster plug ins so I decided to go back to a complete reinstall to tidy things up. Pretty confident that I could do it all in an hour or so and this would also make me switch to RC3, (really nice new skin).

Problem 1

I'm now back to the problem with not being able to get the EPG (Mentalinc). I'm following instructions but no TVGuide.xml file will appear in my MP TV Server folder. I'm going to CMD C:\program files\team media portal\mediaportal tv server then running freeviewNZ-EPG-GBPVR.exe -mediaportal tv server but to no avail. I'm getting a message that "an exception occured during a WebClient request" operation complete. So I'm assuming this is why no TVGuide.xml file is being created?

Problem 2

I was, and still am, encountering audio problems. I've uninstalled the Hauppage IR program in the unlikley event there was a conflict. I put a previous post out about an audio problem and was advised it could be down to the realtek onboard sound. At that stage the audio problem was effecting all sound output when TV turned on and off. This required a reboot to get audio output back. Since trying to get the blaster to work it is now only effecting MP and I can't get any audio out, i have not changed any of my video or audio decoders. Since reinstalling MP I still can't get any audio, it's not just related to playing files or TV, if I click on any element of MP there's normally a recognition click as you switch between views, now nothing. I still get audio in all other applications including Real Player, any ideas???

questforknowledge: Frustrations continue, everything was going well. I had MP working with the only exception being to get a blaster to switch over my Sky STB. My Hauppauge cards didn't come with a blaster so I ended up getting the haupagge OEM box that incuded the USB reciever, blaster and a remote. Installed and everything was all good with MP being the most functional it had been, fully functioning remote, yay! I couldn't get the balster to work, trying various different plug ins and then for no apparent reason I lost audio. The files in MP folders were starting to look a bit jumbled, as I had tried a number of different EPG grabbers and blaster plug ins so I decided to go back to a complete reinstall to tidy things up. Pretty confident that I could do it all in an hour or so and this would also make me switch to RC3, (really nice new skin).

Problem 1

I'm now back to the problem with not being able to get the EPG (Mentalinc). I'm following instructions but no TVGuide.xml file will appear in my MP TV Server folder. I'm going to CMD C:\program files\team media portal\mediaportal tv server then running freeviewNZ-EPG-GBPVR.exe -mediaportal tv server but to no avail. I'm getting a message that "an exception occured during a WebClient request" operation complete. So I'm assuming this is why no TVGuide.xml file is being created?

I made my own script to download EPG data. I can give you a copy of it and some help setting it up if you want.

this might be a repeat but I have worked on finding an epg to work with vmc and gb-pvr. I find the best way is to install progdvb, load transponders of channels you require and then export xml file. Gives you 7 days.